Hundreds of demonstrators on Wednesday took to the streets of Beledweyne, a central city of Somalia, to protest planned elections in HirShabelle state in the horn African nation, APA can report.
The demonstrators denounced the planned election, claiming that it would be a one-sided election. They called for a democratic election arrangement as agreed upon by all political stakeholders.
The protest came as members of the Hawadle clan have in recent months pushed for the presidency of HirShabelle and amid growing political tensions over the electoral process.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had previously pledged to hand the position to the clan after Gudlawe’s term ended, but opponents now accuse him of backing away from his promise.
The dispute comes as the federal government faces broader disagreements with political groups and local stakeholders over the organization of elections in Somalia’s federal member states.
Meanwhile, Galmudug, a federal state within the larger federal Somalia, began a rerun of its presidential election on Wednesday, with JSP candidate Liiban Shuluq widely expected to secure the presidency after emerging as the dominant candidate in the contest.
The demonstration was organised by political figures opposed to the candidacy of HirShabelle President Ali Gudlawe Hussein, who was recently issued a candidate card by the Justice and Unity Party (JSP).
However, voting in Balanballe, a border district and town located in the Galguduud region of central Somalia within the Galmudug state, was disputed after the Tawfiq Party rejected the holding of the election there, highlighting continued disagreements over the electoral process in Galmudug.
The disputes in Beledweyne and Balanballe reflect wider political divisions over elections in HirShabelle and Galmudug, with opponents accusing the federal government of supporting particular candidates and seeking to influence the electoral process.
MG/as/APA